Camera



S. C. S WANN.

I CAMERA..

APPL'ICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1916.

fatented Oct. 18, 1921.-

NM RN b kw w I X X 6 QR m INVENTOR WITNESSES 3.; %%%1%7Z'/ ATTORNEYS sc. SWANN.

CAMERA. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 19l6.

1,394,047. Patented Oct. 18, 1921'.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

on 2-2 r/a./. 2

g I ATTOREYS S. C. SWANN.

CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15' I916.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

4 SHEETS+SHEET 3- WITNESSES AT QRNEYS 'S. C. SWANN.

CAMERA.

AiPPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 15, I916.

1,394,047, Patented Oct. 18,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' ENTOR WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYDNEY C. SWANN, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A SSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COM-PANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

The spool which has'been previously used is removed from the centerwhich is ordinarily called the feed spool and 1s placed in a reverseposition on the center which is ordinarily called the winding spool andthe roll is adjusted in the feed center to properly position it. Thefilm paper is then drawn across the exposed face of the camera and theend of thefilm laboriously inserted into an elongated slot in thewinding spool. This film must be accurately centered or it will pullunevenly as is obvious. It is thennecessary to turn the finger keyseveral times before putting on the backof the camera. After the camerais closed the winding must be continued until such time as the warningsignal on the film indicates that the first film is near position forexposure and constant vigilance must be used to prevent the film frompassing this point.

Each successive exposure requires the same careful manipulation of thefilm. After the last exposure is made, the hand winding is continueduntil previous experience or the operators judgment indicates that it isprobably safe to remove the back of the I camera. When this is done thecamera must be put upon a suitable table or other sup port andone handused to produce a tension on the paper while the other hand winds to theend. 7

' It is furthermore impossible to release the tension until a gummedsticker is putover the end of the roll of the film. Then it is necessaryto remove the center and release the roll after which it must be removedor ejected from its pocket by any suitable means, but usually byupsetting or turning upside down or reversing the camera.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CAMERA.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed March 15, 1916. Serial No. 84,320.

usually employed in connection with existing forms of cameras now inuse, it being unnecessary in adapting my device to camera casings of theconventional type to change to any extent, the exterior contour orcasingof the camera, so that my invention is readily applicable tocamera casings of the standard types and sizes now in use. Furthermorein my device I make no change Whatever, in the film except to secure athree sided or other polygonal center or reel to the'starting end of theroll, said polygonal reel forming the double function both of a reel andcenter and being made of any suitable material desired, such as paper,pasteboard, fiber, metal or other suitable material and while the sameis preferably made hollow, it can be made solid, if desired, and eitherthe hollow or solid construction can be perforated, if desired.

It will be seen from the foregoing that in my device I eliminate variousparts of the camera reels and centers heretofore em ployed and haveprovided a novel device unskilled operator.

It urther consists of novel tension carrying devices, novel. reelcentering devices, novel means for simultaneously actuating the centersand novel means to automatically advance the film.

It further consists of a novel film having a gummed tab at its end.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter moreclearly appear in the detailed description.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in theaccompanymg drawings a typical elnbodiment thereof which will givesatisfactory and reliable'results in practice but it is of course to beunderstood that the various instrumentalities of which my inventionconsists can be variously arranged and organized and that my inventionis not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a sectional view, on

line mw Fig. 2, of a camera embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a section on the line y-y Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a section on the line'z.z Fig.1.

Fig. 4: represents,-on an enlarged scale, a section on the line wwFig.1.

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged view of the construction seen at the'righthand end of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a perspective view, in detached position, oftheright-hand center and tension carriage which receives my noveltriangular or polygonal reel or center, which- I employ in connectionwith the roll or film. Fig. 7 represents, on an enlarged scale,

.a perspective view of one of the operating hubs in detached posltlon.

Fig. 8, represents a side elevation 'of' one of the: rock arms employedin detached po-' sition seen at the right-hand portion ofla'r orpolygonal shaped reel or center 16 by Figs. 2, 4:, 5 and 15.

Fig. 9 represents a section on, the line waz' Fig. 1-.

Fig. 11 represents a perspective view, of the opposite or mner'cndof theroll or film, showing the gummed strlp or tab and the upper reeltherefor.

Figl2i'epresents a perspective view, in, detached position, of theleft-hand tension device and centering device seen atfthc lefthandportionof Figs. 1 and 2' for holding.

theroll or filmin position.

Fig. 13 represents a sectionalview of the push button actuatingmechanism and its adjuncts seen at the to'p of F igs.- 1, 4 and 9. Fig.14: represents a side elevation of an indicator disk employed.

Fig. 15'represents a perspectiveview of the manually operated device foroperatin the reel or film centers.

Fig. 16 represents a perspective view of a center pin and the coactingcenter seen Fig.1? represents a side elevation of the in Figs. 1, 3 and4.

casing.

- Similar numerals fof reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

rectangular shape, having round or square ends and provided with a topdetachable member 2, which may be fastened in position to the basemember 3 by means of any of the spring catches or locking devices nowgenerally employed.

A and5 designate the inner side walls of the camera, the same beingcontained within the outer side walls 6 and 7' respectively, whereby thelongitudinally extending cham bers 8"and 9, respectively, will be formedbetween said walls 1 and Gan'd- 5 and 7 respectively, as will beunderstoodfrom Figs roller 13 located in proximity thereto, said rollersbeing preferably freely revoluble' upona suitable axisandhavingthe film14 traveling over them as will be understood from Fig. 2. The'manner fmounting or supporting the roll or film 14 will be apparent from'Figs;2, 5, 10 an d 11, wherefrom it willbe seen that-the starting end 15, V

of'the film 14, is secured within'the trianguhaving its terminal endI'Yenter between the juxtaposed walls 18 and 19 of said reel,

as will beunderstoodfrom Fig. 10.

The reel 16 which I preferably employ is shown in the present instancein Figs. 2, 5,

10 and 11 asbeing a hollow triangular or' polygenal" body, which'may becomposed of cardboard, paste board, fiber, metal or other similarmaterial. "T f*' b tl t 't' ne manne o assem ,nng 1e s a1 mg cnd'of thefilm with respect to its triangular or snnllar shaped reel 16 Wlll beapparent from the right hand of Fig. 10,. while the inner end ofthe filmas indicated at 20 is PlOVlClBCl with a gummed tabor term1nal21\Vl'llCll is merely wound around the inner reel 22'butdisconnectedtherefrom, so that *when the'film 1 1 has'been used on its last exposurethe inner end 20 of the film together with the gummed tab 21 canreadilybe unreeled from the inner reel 22, as will bG'HDtlGIStOOCl from Flg.11.

'It will be understood that the film 14" comes from the manufacturerwoundon the inner reel. 22 andhavingnthe outer reel 16 'attached theretoin the manner" described with respect to Figs; 2,10 and15 and in orderto load the'ca-mera or'to place the film in position, it'sis onlynecessary to remove the top 2 of the cameraand" drop the lefthandportion 23 of the reeled film or roll upon the left-hand tensioncarriage 24, seen at the left of Figs. 1 and 2 and in Fig. 12, saidtension carriage comprising a curved plate having concave longitudinalseat 25, which receives said roll or reeled film 23. The left-handtension carriage is provided with eyes or bearings 26, through which therod 27 passes, said rod having its outer terminals supported in the sidewalls 4 and 5, as will be understood from the left-hand portion of Fig.1, wherefrom it will be seen that the left-hand tension carriage 24 isat all times pivotally supported and is capable of a limited amount ofmovement upon said rod 27, as an axis, said tension carriage being 'atall times under the action of a tension and will compensate for thereduction in diameter of the roll 23 during the unwinding of the film. I7

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the roll 23 of the filmhaving been placed in position, as indicated at the left of Fig. 2, willdepress somewhat the tension carriage 24 shown at the left of saidfigure,

and the operator can now unroll the film sui'hciently until the startingreel can assume the position seen at the right of Figs. 2 and 5, itbeing understood, however, that the inner reel 22 has been previouslyrotatably mountedin position with respect to its center 31, as will behereinafter described in andcentering the inner reel 22 and the outer orstarting reel 16 at each end of the camera being substantiallyidentical, the same will now be described with reference to therighthand end of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 15. The film 14 having beenunrolled sufiiciently, as above explained to permit the starting reel 16to be dropped into position seen at the right-hand of Figs. 2 and 5, itwill be apparent that said reel 16 is received in a longitudinallyextending V-shaped seat 32, which is composed of the V-shaped ordiverging walls 33 and 3. the latter inclined wall 34. being attached toor depending from the right-hand tension carriage 35 which is composedoi": the concaYe-or trough-shaped strip or member 36, which is providedwith the eyes 37, see Fig. 3. through which the rod 38 passes, as willbe understood from the right-hand portions of Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6.

In the censtructionseen in Figs. 2 and 5, it

will be understood that the reel seat 32 is in its extreme highestposition, the upper most p sition of the right-hand tension carriage 39being assured by means of the end flanges 39 and the intermediateflanges 40, one of said flanges 40 being shown at the right-hand of:Fig. 5 in the position that it assumes with respect to the inner endwall of the lower or base member 3 of the camera.

It will be seen that by reason of my novel construction of the tensioncarriages, coupled with the novel construction of a i! or similar shapedseat 32, in the righthand tension carriage, as soon as the righthand endof the film, seen.- in Fig. 2, is unwound to a sufficient extent, it aswell as the reel 16, will tend to seek the seat 32 by reason of theslight resilient nature of the film 14, both the inner reel 22 and theouter reel 16 being self centering, by reason of their coaction with thecenters 31 and 62, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It will be seen that the upwardly extending terminals or abutments 39terminate a short distance from the end of the righthand tensioncarriage, so that spaces 4-1 are provided which are occupied by thetension arms 42, seen at the ends of the right-hand tension carriageseen in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, said tension arms being also rotatably mountedupon the rod 38 and provided with coiled springs 43, one terminal. 44 ofwhich exten ds upwardly, as indicated in Fig. 5, while the lowerterminal 45 thereof is in contact with The te sion carriage is caused toat all times assume the desired position by means of the coiled springs46, which have one terminal 47 in contact with the inner curved end wallof the camera, while the other terminals are in contact with the underside the tension carriage, the function of the terminals 48 being tonormally cause an up ward tension to be'exerted upon the righthandtension carriage, as will be evident from Figs. and 6. x

designates a. finger piece which prodiv and laterally trom the up tersewhich carries in H 41;), sec 5, in -te walls and 5. the

i 52 passing c e n the lower eitr-enii ties of the rock arms 535, whoseupper porwith the curved Ri per sl ct an d e3 an ower slot 5'7.

opening in the up i on each 0 the rock arms 5 thrr which loosely passestie threaded portion 59 ot pin 60 hl 0 the finger pi ce 61 thereon w...e tood from FiL-TS. 3 and 16. The threaded portion 59 of thepolygonal pin carries a triangular shaped center 62 which engages and isinserted in the contiguous end of the starting reel 16.

63 designates cam sleeves which are interiorly threaded at one end as at64: in order to engage with the threaded closures 65 which are securedto the end walls of the casing by means of fastening devices 66 andprovided with openings 67 through which pins 60 extend. The cam sleeves63 are provided with the cam slots 68 into which the keys 69 formed bythe slots 56 and 57 extend so that when the member i9 is depressed theproper movement will be imparted to the rod 52 and its adjuncts in orderto effect the simultaneous actuation of-the members 62 to move them intoengagement with areel, as 16, or out of engagement with said reelwhereby the latter can be readily removed" rom the casing.

It will be understood that the centering members 31 at the opposite endof the casing are actuated in a similar manner to the centering members62. In order to eliminate the necessity of winding up a reel by hand, 1provide a winding shaft 70 journaled in the g casing in any desiredmanner and having one end adapted to receive a key whereby the shaftmaybe rotated. 71 designates a tension spring one end of which is fixedto the shaft and the other end of which is fixed to a stationary part ofthe device.

72 designates a gear-fixed on theshaft 70 andmeshing with. a'pinion 73,mounted onthe casing and meshing with a gear 74 mounted on the casingand carrying a ratchet 75; The gear 74: meshes with-a gear 76 r0,-

tatably mounted on the casing and has connected withit apinion 77 so asto rotate in unison. Tl11S'p1111OI1'77 meshes with a rotatablymountedgear 7 8 which latter meshes with a pinion 79located within a cam sleeveand loosely mounted on the polygonal shaped portion of a pin 60 so thatit will not interfere with the lateral movement of the pin ,60 whichoccurs when the centersfor the reel are to be adjusted. The ratchet'75cooperates with a pawl 80 pivotally carried by the casing and providedwith a collar 81 which is fixed to a rod 82 slidingly mounted inbearings 83. Interposed between one of the bearings 83 and a washer 84L,fixed to the rod 82, is a spring 85. The rod 82 has its free enddeflected, as at 86, see Fig. 13, and

its outer face is preferably curved in order to cooperate with thehemispherical ball 87 of a plungerSS which extends through the depressedportion 89 of the casing andisc providedwith a pressure piece 90 whichis normally flush with the outer face of the casing. Against thehemispherical portion; 87 bears a pin 91 which passes through a plate 92and is provided with a flange or shoulder 93 against which is exertedthe pressure of a spring 94, it being seen that.

the plate 92 is deflected to form a recess or chamber to receive theflange 93' and the spring 94. 9.5 designates a disk mounted on the shafton which tllQI'fitChBt 7 5 and gear 741- are mounted, said diskhaving'graduations thereon and identifying characters or indicia toindicate the'number of exposures on the film, and the outer casing isprovidedwith an aperture 96, see Fig. 17, through which one of theindicia of the'disk 95 maybe seen 'so that the'use'r, of the camera'willknow that the'film'is in proper position to be exposed. r V

' lVhen it is desired to advance the film, the user presses inwardly thepresser piece 90thereby causing the rodj82 to release the.

pawl 80 and permit-the ratchet 7 5 to be advanced one point, whichcauses the film'at the right-handof the camera to be rotatedsufiiciently to advance the film to bring the next portion which is tobe exposed into proper position withrespect to the lens. As soon as theoperator releases the presser piece 90 the spring will cause the pawl 80to engage the next tooth of theratchet 75, as will be evident.

As soon as the entire film has been exposed it is .removed in the mannerhereinbefore described and a new film is inserted into position, By theemploymentof my present invention arfilm can be automatically advancedas desired and the necessity of'manually. winding the film at eachoperation is eliminated. 1 V It will'now be apparent that I have deviseda novel anduseful camera which embodies the features of advantageenumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the abovedescriptiomand while I have,

in the present instance, shown and described preferred embodimentsthereofwhich will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, itis to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification invarious partic'iilars without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention orsacrificing any fiangeless body having longitudinallyextending, overlapping, juxtaposed, spaced lips adapted to receive theend of a strip.

'8. In a device of the character stated, a

reel of uniform cross section throughout its length and provided withoverlapping, juxtaposed, spaced apart li s, whereby a 10n'gi-.-

tudinally extending slot is formed, adapted to receive the end of astrip of material.

4. In a device of the character stated, a fiangeless hollow reel ofpolygonal shape in cross-section and having longitudinally tending,overlapping, juxtaposed, spaced lips, between which an end of a strip ofmaterial is adapted to be inserted.

5. In a device of the character stated, a reel adapted to receive theend or" a strip, a tension carriage resiliently mounted in proximity tosaid reel, and an extension on said tension carriage adapted to alinewith and support said reel when the latter is empty.

6. In a device of the character stated, a polygonal shaped reel havinglongitudinally extending, juxtaposed, spaced apart lips adapted toreceive a strip of material, a tension carriage resiliently mounted inproximity to said reel, and an angular shaped extension on said tensioncarriage adapted to aline with and support said reel, when the latter isempty.

7. In a device of the character stated, a reel, centers engaging theends of said reel, said centers being movable simultaneously into andout of engagement with said ends, a transverse rod extending in a planeparallel to said reel and connections from said rod to said centers foractuating the latter.

8. In a device of the character stated, areel, centers engaging the endsof said reel, said centers being movable simultaneously into and out ofengagement with said ends, a rod extending in a plane parallel to saidreel, connections from said rod to said centers, and means for manuallyactuating said rod, whereby said centers are simultaneously actuatedtoward and away from each other.

9. In a device of the character stated, a reel, centers engaging theends of said reel, said centers being movable simultaneously into andout of engagement with said ends, a transverse rod extending in a planeparallel to said reel, and connections from said rod to said centers foractuating the latter, in combination with a finger piece connected tosaid rod and manually operable in a plane transverse to the axis of saidreel.

10. In a device of the character stated, a reel of polygonal shape incross-section, and having longitudinally extending, juxtaposed, spacedapart lips adapted to receive the end of a strip of material, centers ofpolygonal shape in cross-section and engaging the ends of said reel, arod extending in a plane parallel to said reel, connections from saidrod to said centers, and means for actuating said rod, connections andcenters simultaneously.

11. In a camera, stationary sleeves having cam slots therein, armshaving means to engage said sleeves and slots to reciprocate thesleeves, reel centers carried by said arms, and means to rock said arms.

12. Tu a camera, casing, sleeves carried o ided with cam slots, arms I p0 enter said slots, a rod passing through saic arms, means to move saidrod in curved path, and reel centers carried by said arms.

13. in a camera, a casing, sleeves carried thereby and having cam slots,arms mounted on and having means to enter said cam slots, pins passingthrough said arms, reel centers carried by said pins, and means toactuate said arms.

14. En a camera, a casing, sleeves carried thereby and having cam slots,arms mounted on and having means to enter said cam slots, pins passingthrough said arms, polygonal shaped reel centers carried by said pins,and means to actuate said arms.

15. In a camera, a reel, a longitudinally extending centering andsupporting device for said reel in which said reel is seated when empty,centers engaging the ends of said reel, and means for simultaneouslyactuating said centers toward and away fromv the ends or" said reel.

16. In a camera, a reel, longitudinally extending centering device inwhich said reel is seated when empty, centers engaging the ends of saidreel, rock arms on each side of said camera, connections from said rockarms to said centers, a rod common to the outer ends of said 1" ch arms,and means for actuating said rod.

17. The combination of a reel adapted to have a strip of material woundthereon, a tension carriage having a portion thereof conforming to theshape of said reel, and tension arms carried by said carriage andbearing against said strip.

18. The combination of a polygonally shaped reel adapted to have a stripof material wound thereon, a tension carriage having a polygonal shapedseat conforming to the contour of said reel and adapted to receive thelatter, and tension arms carried by said carriage and adapted to bearagainst said strip.

19. The combination of a polygonally shaped reel rotatably mounted, of atension carriage pivotally supported and having a seat thereinconforming to the shape of said reel, a spring to move said seat towardsaid reel, the latter being adapted to have a strip of material woundthereon, arms supported on said carriage, and springs to move said armstoward said reel.

20. In a camera, a photographic film, polygcnally shaped reels havingoverlapping, spaced apart lips between which the ends of said film arereceived, centers for said reels, and tension carriages pivotallysupported and located below said reels.

21. In a film-spool camera including a housing having a posterioropening and a removable cover for same, a pair of opposed pivot membersdisposed Within the easing tane'o'usly moving the same in opposite digndadapted to engage (ipposite ebnds of a motions. V

lm-spool and a manu e 1y opera 1e memi381 disposed Within the camerahousing and SYDNEY SWANN' 5 operable only upon opening the cover forWitnesses:

the said posterior opening operatively asso- C. L. DROSTE, ciated withsaid pivot-members for silnul- F. E. SOHRE.

